Automatic stop for phonographs and the like



May 27, 1924 GMRAMSEY AUTOMATIC .STOP FOR PHOOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13 1920 N QW S14/umida May 27 1924- G. RAMSEYAUTOMATIC STOP, FoR PHoNoGRAPl-Is AND THB LIKE Filed March 13, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 2- Patented May 27, 1924.

NETE@ SAYES incassa GEORGE RAMSEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPI-IS AND THE LIKE.

Application led March 13, 1920.

T 0 all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE RAMsEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn. in the county of Kings, State of New York. haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops forPhonographs and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to the talking machine art and moreparticularly to an automatic stop for the record.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an automaticstop for talking machines and the like wherein no adjustment of parts isrequired other than those required for the ordinary playing of therecord.

Another object of the present invention is an automatic stop for talkingmachines and the like wherein the record carrier is stopped shortlyafter the record stops playing and without any preliminary setting onthe part of the operator.

A still further and important object of the present invention is anautomatic stop for talking machines and the like wherein astop-controllingmember isv movable consonantly with the movement o t areproduccineedle and also is adapted to move inde,

pendently of said needle with the parts constructed in such manner thatwhen the independent movement occurs the stopping mechanism is renderedinoperative.

A still further and important object ot the present invention is anautomatic stop for phonographs and the like wherein a stop is operatedthrough the medium of the ordinary commercial record and without anypreliminary setting on the part of the operator. and irrespective ot thediameter of the terminating groove in the record.

A still further object of the present invention is an automatic stopadapted to be rendered operative by a movable member which ismechanically driven to vvhave a movement consonant with the movement ofthe needle during playing and to have a differential movement after theplaying has ceased.

A still further object ot the present invention is a stop for talkingmachines and the like comprising an arm extending beneath therecord-carrying table and being in. engagement with a lgroove beneaththe table which 1s substantiallyl of the same spvv ral as the arnaudgroove in the record.A

serial No. 365,475.

Another and important object of the present invention is an automaticstop for talking machines and the` like'comprising a record tableprovided with a groove of substantiallv the same spiral as the spiral ofa standard record and with stop operating means adapted to cooperatewith the said groove on the table. n

Other and further objects ot the present invention will in part beobvious and will in kpart be pointed out hereinafter in thespecification following and by reference to the accompanying drawingswherein like parts are represented by like characters throughout theseveral figures thereof.

Realizing that the present invention may be embodied in constructionsother than those specifically shown herewith, it is desired that thedisclosure in this application shall be understood as illustrative andnot to be taken in the limiting sense.

Figure l is an elevation of one type ot talking machine equipped withone embodiment of the present invention and illustrates a section takenon line A-A of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a. plan view of the construction disclosed in Figure l takenon line` B--B of Figure l. v

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic. view,v illustrating the principle ofoperation of -the construction disclosed in Figures land 2.

Heretofore in the art of talking machines, automatic stops have beendevised which require the setting` ot the stop for each rec--y ordhaving a tone groove that terminates a sov different distance from thecenter of the recl ord than that of thel preceding record played.

.In the operation of such prior art devices, the successful operation isdependent upon the skill of the operator in setting the stop mechanism.It also entails eXtra movements in operating the device and themovements are such that the reproducing needle is usually swung over therecord so that there is liability of the record being scratched unlessthe reproducing needle is always raised a suilicient distance to clearthe record. v

The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the known art byproviding an automatic stop which requires no special attention andwhich is automatically` set arrangement of a spiral groove beneath therecord table with the spiral groove comprising substantially aprojection of the spiral tone groove of a standard record and with thegroove beneath the table of such length that it extends at both itsouter terminus and its inner terminus beyond the length of the tonegroove in the largest size of commercial records adapted for use on aparticular instrument. A lever is mounted on the tone arm in such manneras to normally extend directly beneath the tone arm and to carry at itsouter extremity a small shoe which is raised in contact with the tablespiral when the reproducer needle is lowered into contact with therecord to be played. Since the record spiral and the table spiral arethe same it will be noted that the shoe and the reproducer travel towardthe center of the record with the relationship between the needle andthe shoe constant. Preferably the shoe is arranged directly beneath theneedle. This consonant relation is maintained until the needle hastraversed the tone groove at which time the needle no longer travelstoward the center of the record. The table groove extending beyond therecord groove causes the shoe to continue its travel therebyestablishing a differential or relative movement between the shoe andthe point of the needle. This differential movement is translated intmechanical movements t-o trip a suitable braking mechanism. Thisoperation of the braking` mechanism will not occur until after theplaying has terminated and will occur shortly after the playing` hasterminated irrespective of the variations between the terminii of thetone grooves of the standard records.

1n choosing an instrument for disclosingr the particular embodiment ofthe presentinvention, it is illustrated as connected to a tone arm whichis both vertically and horizontally movable. The invention, however,contemplates applying the mechanism to tone arms which have one portionhorizontally movable and another portion ver:- tically movable. I

Referring now to the particular embodiment illustrated, the tone arm 1carries a reproducer 2 which is equipped with a needle 4 adapted toengage the tone groove in a record 5 which is mounted upon a usual typeof turntable 6. This turntable may be driven in any well known manner inview of the fact that the driving mechanism is not specificallyconsidered in connection with the present invention. The tone armcarries a bracket 7 to which is pivoted a lever arm 8 by means of asuitable hinge 9. The hinge is so located that the lever arm 8 has aslight oscillatory movement in a vertical plane only. Preferably` asmall track 10 is mounted adjacent the base 11 of the tone arm 1 in suchmanner as to be adjustable toward and from the tone arm base. The leverarm 8 preferably carries a small roller 12 which may be secured by asmall stub screw 14 with vthe roller travelling upon the track 10 sothat the track 10 acts as a fulcrum against which the lever arm 8 mayrock. Preferably the forward end of the lever arm 8 carries a bell crank15 in the outer end of which is mounted a small slice 16 of hard wood orother substantially anti-frictional material. Adjacent this bell crankthe lever arm is provided with a stop 17. A tripping arm 18 is alsomounted on the lever arm 8 adjacent the inner end of the lever arm andthe said bell crank is connected with the tripping arm 18 by a link 19.The tripping arm 18 is connected to a small contractile spring 20 whichis anchored to the lever arm 8 in such manner as normally to place thelink 19 under compression thereby normally maintaining the shoe-carryingarm of the bell crank against the stop 17 of the lever arm 8 so that theshoe-carrying arm is practically an extension of the lever arm 8. It isto be noted that the lever arm 8 lat all times is directly beneath thetone arm 1 and that the lever arm 8 is rigidly held against horizontalmovement, but that the bell crank arm may turn upon its pivot. The underportion of the turntable 6 is provided with a spiral groove 21 which iscut at such a pitch as to be substantially identical with the pitch of astandard record groove 22. This groove may be cut directly into theturntable itself, but preferably it is cut in a plate 211 which isattached to the under portion of the turntable. The standard commercialrecords are provided with means which control the reproducer needleafter the needle passes from the tone groove and in one form of standardrecord the tone groove 22 leads to a concentric groove 25 so that afterthe needle has finished playing it enters this concentric groove, andconsequently ceases lateral movement.

The tripping arm 18 is provided with a finger 26 which extends adjacentthe arm 27 of the brake 28. This b-rake mechanism may comprise a bellcrank arm carrying the arms 27 and 28 and pivoted at 29 with anoverthrow spring construction 30 which normally maintains the arm 28against the stop 31, and when the finger 26 from the tripping arm 18bears against the arm 27 of the brake mechanism the spring overthrowconstruction is operated to bring the brake in contact with theturntable.

In the operation of the device it will be noted that by lifting thereproducer to position to begin playing, the hinge 9 will move forwardlyin the arc of acircle'thereby causing the shoe 16 to be disengaged fromthe spiral 21 in the control plate 24 and since the lever arm S is rigidin a horizontal direction the arm maintains its position under the tonearm l as the tone arm is swung outwardly to position the needle at thebeginning of the tone groove. As soon as the needle is set in the groovethe track 1() is adjusted to press the shoe 16 into engagement with thespiral 21. After the track is once adjusted to cause this relation nofurther adjustment is required. It now will be noted that the shoe 16 isdirectly beneath the point of the needle 4 and as the turntable revolvesthe shoe and needle maintain the consonant relationship with one overthe other until the needle enters the circular groove 25, (see Fig. 3)at which time the reproducer arm no longer swings but the shoe 16continues inwardly. This inward movement of the shoe 16 carries theparts to the position shown in dotted lines in F igure E2 therebycausing the finger 26 to set the brake mechanism to stop the record. Thecurve on the face of the brake arm 27 is such as to permit the 'linger26 to pass the brake at all times when the reproducer arm is movedhorizontally over the record.

From the Joregoing descriptiony it will be noted that the presentinvention provides an automatic stop which will always set the brokemechanism irrespective of the point of termination of the tone grooveand without any preliminary setting by the operator.

that I claim is: y

1. An automatic stop for talking machines and the like comprising amovable tone arm carrying a reproducer, a rotatable record support,means carried by said support and having a spiral groove, a shoe inengagement with said spiral groove, brake mecha-` nism capable ofstopping rotation of said record support, and means operably connectingsaid shoe with said brake in such manner that said brake is renderedoperative when said shoe is moving while the reproducer is stationary.

2. An auton'iatic st Op fortalking machines and the like comprising amovable tone arm carrying a reproducer, a rotatable record support,adapted to carry a record upon its upper surface, spiral groove carriedby and beneath the record support, a shoe in engagement with said spiralgroove, bra-ke' mechanism capable of stopping rotation of said recordsupport, and means operably connecting said shoe with said brake in suchmanner that said brake is rendered operative when said shoe is movingwhile the reproducer is stationary.

3. An automatic stop for talking machines and the like comprising amovable tone arm carrying a reproducer, a rotatable record support,movable means having a spiral groove comprising a projection of thespiral of a standard record tone groove and adapted to be rotated at thesame speed as the record support, a shoe in engagement with saidv spiralgroove, brake mechanism capable of stopping rotation of said recordsupport, and means operably connecting said shoe with said brake in suchmanner thaty said brake is rendered operative when said shoe is movinglaterally while the reproducer is stationary.

4. An automatic stop for talking machines and the like comprising amovable tone arm carrying a reproducer, a rotatable record supportadapted to carry a record upon its upper surface, a spiral groovecarried by and beneath the record support, a shoe, means to raise saidshoeinto engagement with said spiral groove, brake mechanism capable ofstopping rotation of said record support, and means operably connectingsaid shoe with said brake in such manner that said brake is renderedoperative when said shoe is moving while the reproducer is stationary. i

5. A talking machine and the like comprising a swinging tone arm, areproducer carried by said tone arm, a record support adapted to rotate,means having a spiral groove and adapted to be rotated when said recordsupport rotates, an arm carried by said tone arm, a shoe supported bysaid arm, means for causing said shoe to engage said spiral groove whenthe needle of the reprodueer is in engagement. with thetone groove ofthe record, brake mechanism for the record support, and meansoperatively connected with said shoe to trip said brake mechanism whensaid shoe is moving while the reproducer is stationary.

6. A talking machine and the like comprising a swinging tone arm, areproducer carried vby said tone arm, a record support adapted torotate, means having a spiral groove and adapted to be rotated when saidrecord support rotates, an arm carried by said tone arm, a shoesupported by said arm` means for causing said shoe to engage said spiralgroove when the needle ot the reproducer is in engagement with the tonegroove of the record and to disengage said shoe when the needle israised, brake mechanism for lthe record support, and moans operativelyconnected with said shoe to trip said brake mechanism when said shoe ismoving while the reproducer is stationary.

7. An automatic stop for talking machines and the like comprising arotating record, stop mechanism, a swinging member carrying areprodncer. an arm mounted upon said member, means for causing thereproducerto move laterally when playing and to cease lateral movementwhen the playing is tinished, means beneath the record for causing saidarm to move at thel same rate and in the same direction as the movementof said reproducer and to continue to move after the reproducer hasstopped movement, de-

vices for operating the stop mechanism when the arm is moving while thereproducer is stationary.

8. An automatic stop tor talking machines and the like comprising arotating record, stop mechanism, a swinging member carrying areproducer, a swinging arm carried by said member, means comprising aspiral groove in the record 'tor causing the reproducer to movelaterally when playing and to cease lateral movement when the playing isfinished, means comprising another spiral groove tor causing saidswinging arm to move at the same rate and in the same direction as themovement ot said reproducer and to continue to move after the reproducerhas stopped movement, and devices for operating the stop mechanism whenthe arm is moving while the reproducer is stationary.

9. An automatic stop for talking machines and the like comprising arotating record, stop mechanism, a swinging member carrying a.reproducer, a vertically swinging arm carried by said member, .meanscomprising a spiral groove in the record tor causing the reproducer tomove laterally when playing and to cease lateral movement when theplaying is linished, means comprising another spiral groove tor causingsaid swinging arm to move at the same rate and in the same direction asthe movement of Said reproducer and to continue to move after thereproducer has stopped movement, and devices tor operating the stopmechanism when the arm is moving While the reproducer is stationary.v

10. An automatic stop Jfor talking ina-- .chines and the like comprisinga rotating record, stop mechanism, a swinging member carrying areproducer, a vertically swinging arm pivoted to said member, means torcausing the reproducer to move laterally when playing and to ceaselateral movement when the playing is linished, a member having a spiralgroove therein, means comprising a shoe in engagement with the saidspiral for causing said swinging arm to continue to move after thereproducer has stopped movement, and devices for operating the stopmechanism when the arm is moving while the reproducer is stationary.

11. An automatic stop for talking machines and the like comprising arotating record, stop mechanism, a swinging member carrying areproducer, a vertically swinging arm pivoted to said member andrestricted to move laterally with the swinging member,

. means for causing the reproducer to move laterally when playing and tocease lateral movement when the playing is finished, a bell crank on theswinging arm, means for causing one end ol' the bell crank to move atthe same rate and in the same direction as the movement of saidreproducer and to conafter the reproducer has tinue to move 1 stoppedmovement, and devices for operating the stop mechanisnii when the bellcrank is moving while the reprodueer is stationary.

l2. ...Ain automatic stop for phonographs comprising a record tableprovided with a spiral groove having substantially the same pitch as thetone groove of a standard record, and means cooperating with the spiralgroove to stop the rotation of the record table when a suitable recordhas been played.

13. A n automatic stop tor phonographs comprising a tone arm, a recordtable provided with a spiral. groove having substantially the same pitchstandard record, and means carried by the tone arm and cooperating withthe spiral groove to stop tl e rotation of the record table when asuitable record has been played.

lll. in automatic stop tor talking machines or the like comprising arecord having a spiral tone groove, a table for supporting and rotatingsaid record and being provided with a spiral groove, a brake mecha--nism for stopping the rotation oli said table, a reproducer having aneedle guided by said tone groove, and means guided bythe spiral grooveand adapted to trip said brake mechanism when said needle reaches apredetermined position relative to said means.

l5. Ain automatic stop for talking machines or the like comprising arecord having a spiral tone groove, a table for supporting and rotatingsaid record and being provided with a spiral groove, a brake mechanismfor stopping the rotation ot said table, a reproducer having a needleguided by said tone groove, and means comprising a shoe guided by thespiral groove and adapted to trip said brake mechanism when said needlereaches al predetermined position relative to said means.

16. An automatic stop tor talking machines or the like comprising arecord having a tone groove, a table for supporting and rotatingA saidrecord and being provided on the under side with a spiral groove, abrake mechanism `tor stopping the rotation of said table, a reproducerhaving a needle guided by said tone groove, and means guided by thespiral groove and adapted to trip said brake mechanism when said needleand said means travel laterally at different rates.

17. An automatic stop for a talking machine or the like comprising arotating record, a needle groove in said record, a spiral control grooveof the same pitch as the needle groove, a brake mechanism, soundreproducing means, control means'tor the brake mechanism operated by thecontrol groove, and devices elitective to operate the brake mechanismwhen there is a differential lateral movement between. the two saidmeans,

the tone groove of aY 18. An automatic stop for a talking machine or thelike comprising a rotating record having a tone groove therein, a brakemechanism, sound-reproducing means, a spiral control groove longer thanthe tone groove and having the same pitch as the tone groove, controlmeans for the brake mechanism having an engagement with the spiralgroove, and devices effective to operate the brake mechanism when apredetermined relation has been reached between the two said means.

19. An automatic stop for a talking machine or the like comprising arotating record, a brake mechanism, sound reproducing means, a spiralgroove beneath the record and having the same pitch as the tone groovein the record, control means for the brake mechanism operating upon thespiral groove, and devices effective to operate the brake mechanism whenthere is a differential lateral movement between the two said means.

20. An automatic stop for a talking machine or the like comprising arotating record, a needle groove in said record, a brake mechanism,sound reproducing means, a spiral groove having a length greater thanthe needle groove, control means for the brake mechanism operated by thespiral groove, and devices effective to operate the brake mechanism whenthe control means is controlled by the portion of the spiral groovewhich exceeds the length of the tone groove.

21. An automatic stop for a talking machine or the like *comprising arotating record, a needle groove in said record, a brake mechanism,sound reproducing means, control means for the brake mechanismcomprising a spiral groove beneath the record and of the same pitch asthe record groove, a shoe in engagement with the spiral groove, andmeans for tripping the brake mechanism when the shoe moves relatively tothe sound reproducing means.

22. In an attachment for phonographs, stop means including an elementconstrained to respond to the movements of the reproducer relatively tothe record, and controlling means therefor including a revoluble elementother than the record but revoluble with the latter, the saidfirstmentioned element being engageable with said revoluble element toeli'ect the stop action. the first mentioned element being disengageablefrom said revoluble element by the lifting of the reproducer.

23. An attachment for phonographs comprising stop means including anelement constrained to respond to the movements of the reproducer, andmeans independent of the record adapted to co-act with said element foreecting the stopping action upon the completion of the playing of therecord,

together with an element movable with the reproducer and the firstelement, and movable independently ofthe first element to effect thestopping action.

24. In a phonograph attachment of the class described, automatic stopmeans, and actuating means therefor independent of the phonographrecord, said stop means including a style adapted to be engaged by saidactuating means and movable with the reproducer as well as movableindependently of its movement with the reproducer to engage saidactuating means.

25. In a phonograph attachment of the class described, stop meansincluding an element constrained to respond to the setting and playingmovements of the reproducer, and a stop actuating element revoluble withthe revolving movement of the record and engageable by saidfirst-mentioned element for controlling said stop means and causing itto function upon the completion of the playing movement of thereproducer by a movement of said first element in addition to themovement of said element with said reproducer.

26. In a phonograph attachment of the class described, a groovedelement, means to revolve said grooved element with the revolving of thephonograph record, and stop means including a member engageable by saidgrooved element to be actuated thereby and cause the stop means tofunction'by a continued movement of the engaged member in the samedirection upon the completion of the playing of the record.

27. In a phonograph attachment of the class described, stop meansincluding an element constrained to have vertical movement responsive tothe setting of the phonograph needle, and the lifting thereof from therecord, and to have lateral movement respon-` sive to the lateralplaying movement of the needle, a style carried by said element adaptedto have movement relatively thereto, and means to effect a stop actionby said relative movement of the style; together with controlling meansindependent of the` record to cause said relative movement of the stylewhen the lateral playing movement of the needle is completed.

28. In an attachment for phonographs, an element constrained to respondto the movements of the tone arm relatively to the record in playing,members on said element and controlling means, vsaid controlling meansmoving with the revolving of' the record and having a movement beyondthe movement of the needle toward the center of the record in playing toimpart relative movement to said members; together with a stop devicesubject to said relative movement of said members.

29. In a phonograph attachment of the class described, a stop device,and automatic controlling means therefor controlled by the setting of[he needle for playing and 'free of engagenlent with the record groove,the stop device and controlling means being (lisengagealole by thelifting of the i'eproclucer from the record.

30. ln a phonograph attachment7 stop means including an elementconstrained to partake of the movements of LLhe tone arm to be therebyautomatically se?l with the setting of jshe tone arm and needle forplaying, a revoluhle clemenJ independent of the phonograph record, andengageahle with said inst-mentioned element to control said stop meansand cauce the latter to 'function upon the completion of the playing ofdie record7 Said Stop means including a pivoterl element adapted toexert braking action on said revoluble controllingelement.

3l. in automatic stop for talking maI chincs and the like comprising arotating record, a brake, a reproducer movable over said record Whileplaying and Stationary to Said record when the playing has finished,and. means automatically sei; and automaticall)V opeiaerl to set: thebrake when the playing is finished.

GEORGE RAMSET.

